Sunday, 12 July 2009

Jonathan Rocky Nest reminisces about last year's festival...

(Jonathan from The Rocky Nest outside the tea tent last year! Sigh....remember the sunshine?)

Can you believe Indietracks is only TWO weeks away? Nope? Neither can we! If you're anything like us, you'll be deciding whether or not to make that all-important welly purchase, checking that you're stocked up on waterproofs AND suntan lotion and making those all-important compilations for the journey there.

We know you need something to get you in the mood so - with that mind - we roped in the very lovely Jonathan from The Rocky Nest to share his memories of last year's festival - his first ever Indietracks. Now due to play this year with t'Nest, he remembers the high points of last summer and looks forward this year's fun - from both sides of the stage!

Take it away Jonathan......

I never made it to Indietracks 2007 and when I heard about the sort of weekend it had been, I knew I'd made the gravest of tactical errors. Twelve months later, after the glorious Indietracks of 2008, I went home with a new list of bands I was in love with, a healthy pile of CDs to rule my stereo, and enough fond musical memories to help me through the long winter months.

But if a mysterious stranger had sat down next to me in the tea tent and suggested that just one year later I'd be back at Butterley, on stage, and plugging in my long-neglected bass - I would have laughed, set down my masala chai and taken a sip of whatever they were drinking.

As it turns out, the correct response would have been to ask this modern-day oracle to help me secure the winning raffle ticket for that beautiful Dansette turntable. I still can't believe I missed out by a mere 200 tickets.

Months after Los Campesinos played out the festival and the last train set off back to the real world, I had somehow joined my favourite band from my current home-town. When I first saw The Rocky Nest, by happy accident, they gave me that Indietracks feeling right away. You know the one - you've just discovered a new musical gem and you are not going to let it out of your sight. They hit upon the idea of asking me to join them when they needed a new bassist.

Now, after six-months of gigs, my bass has new strings, the dust is long gone, and The Rocky Nest are on the bill for this fantastic festival. I still can't believe it. When I arrive in Alfreton this year it won't be as a punter, I'm actually going to be playing - as well as trying to get around as much of my, already extensive, must-see list as I possibly can. It is a challenge I am delighted to be facing.

I have to ask myself - am I living in some sort of feel good movie? If I am, the soundtrack is well and truly sorted.

Thanks Jonathan! We'll look forward to coming to watch the set - and good luck! Our must-see list is getting bigger every day too.....

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Indietracks is an annual indiepop festival that takes place at a 1950s steam railway in Derbyshire, UK every July.

The festival has been running since 2007. Bands playing in previous years have included Camera Obscura, Edwyn Collins, Teenage Fanclub, Veronica Falls, The Wedding Present, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, The Pastels, Allo Darlin', White Town, The Hidden Cameras, Art Brut, Still Corners, The Vaselines, Summer Camp, Emmy The Great, The Primitives, Bis, Slow Club, Jeffrey Lewis, Helen Love, Au Revoir Simone and hundreds more artists from across the globe.